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Woody's MARTIN D-45k Koa Wood Guitar Page

  The Martin D45k was introduced on July 15, 2006 at the US-based NAMM conference in a press release that read: 
D-45K Flamed Hawaiian Koa
The new Style 45 Martin guitar is a Sitka Spruce top, rosewood body Martin guitar that has been the flagship of the Martin guitar line since the early-1900s. 
This famed Martin D-45 is made with beautiful flamed Hawaiian Koa wood. 
A two-piece back and sides of highly flamed Koa, Sitka Spruce back braces, a genuine Mahogany low-profile neck. 
A solid diamond volute, square tapered headstock with an East Indian Rosewood head plate and a full gloss finish throughout.

In  2009 Martin's Paula Primrose confirmed that 
production of the Martin D45k koa
was limited to a total of 55 guitars (plus three 2005 prototypes).
2005 - 3 (Prototypes)
 2006 - 44  
2007- 9 
2008 - 2
If you have one of these rare Martin D45k guitars, drop an email to Woody

From the Martin web page at:  
http://www.martinguitar.com/history/dating.html

Collector value of the rare Martin D-45k will continue to increase 
as Koa wood availability continues to struggle

According to a web page at: 
https://christianguitarworks.com/About_Tonewoods.html
.... Hawaiian Koa and its Australian cousin, Black Acacia (otherwise known as Australian Blackwood). 
These woods are among the most beautiful. 
Often found with a light, honey-brown color, they can combine vertical color bands with flamed figure, 
though flamed sets are becoming increasing more difficult to come by. 
Though Koa is technically not endangered, good old trees are few and far between on the islands and 
prices for the best sets are sometimes on a par with Brazilian rosewood.

According to a US Government web page at: 
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_2/acacia/koa.htm
Koa forests were more extensive in the past than they are today. 
Land clearing, poor cutting practices, and destruction by animals, insects, and fire have all taken a toll. 
The volume of koa sawtimber totaled about 187 million board feet in 1970. 
At that time the commercial koa forest land in the State totaled about 7500 ha (18,600 acres), 
and commercial ohia-koa forests about 17,500 ha (43,200 acres).

Age of koa trees cannot be determined. 
Growth rings were not correlated with "annual rings". 
Old relic forests still in existence were probably present at the time 
Captain James Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands in 1778.

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The Martin D-45k carried a manufacturers suggested list price of  us$9600. 
The next closest Martin koa option was the  us$50,000 custom-order Martin D-50k.

Click for more information about the Martin  D-45k  D-50k  listed above.
Above: Pages from the 2007 Martin D-45k sales literature

Internal pictures of the Fishman Acoustic Matrix Natural One (Active System):

Installed in this guitar is a 
Fishman "Acoustic Matrix Natural One (Pro-Man-NT1)" 
model pickup which has a classic flat acoustic response with slight bass boost. 
Excellent for low-to-medium volume applications such as concerts, auditoriums and orchestras. 
The "Natural Two Pro-Man-NT2" model (not installed here) has a flatter EQ response and 
is voiced to for dreadnoughts and jumbos at high volume levels such as high-amplified stage volumes.  
The unit uses a standard 9-volt battery which is held in the black case, 
velcroed to the back of the body (pictured above)

Other Related pictures:

Martin D-45k

The Martin D-45k is my choice 
for a six-stringed instrument

Consider that, with a few exceptions, the larger mass retailers
will commonly list guitars in their catalogs from companies 
that are set up to mass-produce items. 
A manufacturer that can build large numbers of instruments infers 
you may be sacrificing the uniqueness and quality of what you are playing. 
The margin of profit is better selling many mass-produced assembly-line instruments 
compared to one hand made unit such as a high end Martin instrument.
Consider the handmade by human hand uniqueness of these high end guitars 
against the computer created instruments 
made by some companies (such as Taylor and Gibson).

Rarely will you see a Heritage or Martin D45 listed in the printed catalogs of these retailers.
You will commonly see the standard issue Fender, Epiphone, and Gibsons.

For my 6-string acoustic guitar there was never a question that 
renowned Martin workmanship and wood choices would not disappoint. 

Over the years I was waiting for just the right guitar to find me.
In the early 1970's, two guitarists with "The Little Folk," 
a music group I performed with, introduced me to their Martin guitars. 

Shopping for a Martin for over 30-years 
(I first considered but declined a pawn shop D18 in St. Petersburg, FL in 1974) 
I had been holding out for just the right D-45 with Brazilian Rosewood sides and back. 

At a music store in Orlando, FL in 2003 I played a Koa wood-based D-42k-2. 
It was a drop dead gorgeous instrument and sounded great in testing.

When I learned that Martin was making a limited number of the D-45 dreadnaughts 
using the flaming Hawaiian Koa Wood for the sides and back,  
I concluded that subtle tonal differences 
between Brazilian Rosewood and flaming Koa 
were not worth the additional expense. 

The Koa beauty won me over and 
I located this instrument in an Oklahoma City music store.

SIDE ISSUE:
When shopping for my 12-string in 1983, 
I called professionals on both coasts of the USA for opinions. 
I was intending to purchase a Martin, such as a D12-28.
Consistently, I was advised:
"If you want a six-string acoustic, buy a Martin. 
If you want a 12-string acoustic, buy a Guild.
The double truss rods in the Guild neck make it a superior instrument."
I have not been disappointed with my Guild F-512. 
The sound, volume, and clarity are unsurpassed.

Martin D-45 links   (Click on the picture to follow the link)

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

Martin information from wikipedia

Martin Serial Numbers

Some Martin guitar company history

DO YOU HAVE A MARTIN D-45k GUITAR?
SEND A PICTURE OF YOU WITH YOUR GUITAR and/or A STORY
Perhaps we can include it on this page
Send email to Woody
Since there are so few of these guitars in existence,  perhaps it would be fun to know where they all are.

1160206   Sergio's  2006  Martin D45k koa

    That's really a nice instrument, Sergio. Looks like it's one of the three prototypes - Woody 

Hey Woody Good website. 
You have learned the secret of the Martin D45 Koa. 
Here is a picture of mine No. 1260441 (2007). 
I would not sell it for $25,000.00 because of the tone. It is priceless. 
And the SMELL of Koa is something never mentioned. 
When I open the case there is a sweet fragrance of fruit wood that permeates the room unlike any other. 
It smells like sweet grass or sandalwood. My D45 KOA is in absolute mint condition with perfect action stored with a humidifier. 
I have read that Koa has a more mellow tone than Brazilian rosewood and I've never played a Brazilian D45 
but the D45 Koa outshines any other Martin I have played by a wide margin. I also own a new D28VS and an 1898 0-21 Brazilian. 
I also own a 1980 Rod MacLeod Canadian handmade cutaway that blew away any Larivee that was in the same room. 
Nice, beautiful-sounding guitars but yet so inferior to the D45 Koa. 
Keep the faith.     Martin S.

1260441   Martin's  2007 Martin D45k koa   

     I do agree that koa has a great smell - Woody 

From the Martin web page at:  
http://www.martinguitar.com/history/dating.html

1241266    Woody's  2007 Martin D45k koa  

Woody playing his 2007 Martin D45k koa guitar at various Franktown, Colorado bluegrass "Gospel Jams" in 2010.


CLICK ON A PICTURE ABOVE TO ENLARGE FOR CLOSER VIEW  

See also:
The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum
The Martin Owners Club

SN: 1241266

Contact WOODY for questions or comments about this page via  email. 
All personal comments, pictures copyright 1996-2011 - R. Linwood (4L RANCH)
LAST MODIFIED:

Since 19 November 2009:

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